More Than a Memory
by Angie Elle
Summary: After years of separation, there's only one thing that can reunite Nathan and Haley Scott. When Haley is in a near-fatal accident, Nathan races to her bedside. But is it too late for them to find their way back together and heal from the tragedy that had torn them apart? REPOSTING
1. Chapter 1

_a/n: This is a reposting, guys. It's up for good this time, as I've had a few people message me about it. Thanks for reading._

* * *

Nathan Scott was running frantically around his apartment doing some last minute packing for his flight. He was leaving in a few short hours for Florida; from there, he was leaving for a 10 day cruise. The vacation felt long overdue.

Basketball season had just ended, and as much as he loved playing the game he was thoroughly exhausted. He'd played hard all season; now it was time for a breather. He was in the middle of zipping his suitcase when Garth Brooks, More Than a Memory filled the air.

Nathan groaned. He tossed the clothes on his unmade bed aside looking for the stereo remote, but he couldn't seem to find it fast enough. Where the hell had he last seen it? He didn't know how the hell this song kept ending up on his stereo. It was the _only_ song that made him think of his long gone wife. He hated the words; he hated the music; he hated everything the stupid song represented. He didn't even listen to country music, but no matter which station he put his radio on, this song seemed to end up on the playlist.

"Jackpot," Nathan said, when the remote finally appeared beneath a pair of New York Knicks boxers. He hit a button and immediately all surround sound stopped. Another button and the big screen television on his bedroom wall flickered on. He turned the television to one of his favorite news channels. It was just about the only thing he ever watched on television.

Nathan resumed his unorganized packing as he stuffed things into the top compartment on his suitcase, but he was interrupted a few minutes later when he heard his name. He grabbed his remote, and standing at the foot of his bed he focused all of his attention on the television.

"…NBA sensation Nathan Scott _still_ hasn't signed a contract for next season. There's a bidding war for this talented player that is practically unprecedented…"

Nathan stood there grinning from ear to ear.

"…Mr. Scott has always said that he wouldn't sign for longer than one season at a time, not wanting to tie himself to one location for too long. Between the L.A. Lakers and the Charlotte Bobcats, Nathan has his choice of coasts. One has to wonder, what is Nathan Scott holding out for?"

"That's right, baby," Nathan said to himself. "Nathan Scott is _playin'_ the game." He threw the remote back down on the bed and then, reaching into his nightstand drawer, he threw a box of condoms into his suitcase.

"In other news, Haley James Scott, no relation to Nathan Scott…"

_That's what __**they**__ think, _Nathan thought to himself, searching for the remote again. He wanted the television off, and he wanted it off _now_. He didn't care what the hell Haley was up to. He was still desperately searching for it when the journalist's announcement stopped him in his tracks. His heartbeat accelerated with each word the woman spoke.

"…has been in a major car accident. After meeting an unknown man for lunch, Ms. Scott was leaving a restaurant when the paparazzi spotted her." Nathan moved slowly back to the foot of his bed, and breath caught in his throat he slowly sat down. "Apparently they were tailing her, and when she had to slam on her breaks to avoid hitting a pedestrian, the paparazzi rear-ended her, causing her car to slam into a nearby telephone pole. Her manager…"

Nathan's jaw began to tick when Peyton's face filled the screen. "At one-thirty this afternoon, my client and friend, Haley James Scott was in a horrific car accident after being relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi. She slammed on her breaks to miss a little boy who had wandered into the road and away from his mother. She was able to avoid hitting him. Unfortunately, she was unable to escape being hit. The car that was chasing her—at a dangerously high speed, I've been informed—rear-ended her and forced the front of her car into a telephone pole. The doctors have informed me that Ms. Scott is in critical condition." Nathan watched as Peyton, always one able to bury her emotions, choked up before the cameras. "They're unable to assure us at this time of whether or not she'll make it. Your prayers are very much needed and appreciated." She cleared her throat. "I won't be answering any questions at all regarding this matter. I will, however, keep you posted as the doctors keep me posted." Nathan watched her walk away from the camera and reached a hand out to his television. He had an insane urge to yell at Peyton to turn back around and give him more information.

Nathan slowly stood and forced himself to breathe in and out for several minutes, blinking the entire time, as if trying to push what he'd just heard out of his mind. He barely made it to the bathroom before he lost the contents of his stomach.

When he was done, he went into his bedroom to finish his packing. He had a flight to catch.

* * *

Nathan Scott strolled right past security and into the Intensive Care Unit of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as if he owned the place. His ruse worked, as no one stopped him with any questions on the way in. He was stalking purposefully towards the nurse's station, when a blonde head in a room off the hallway caught his attention. He stopped in his tracks and turned around walking into what he assumed was the family room with a small refrigerator and coffee pot. "Where is she, Peyton?"

Peyton's head snapped up. "How in the hell did you get in here?" she demanded.

"Where is she?" Nathan thundered.

Peyton reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. "If you don't leave, I'm calling security," she told him.

Nathan met her stare head on. "And I'll call the press," he said softly.

"And tell them what?" Peyton shot back.

"Everything," he threatened.

Peyton swallowed past the lump in her throat. "You wouldn't do that to Haley," she said, and then laughed bitterly. "Or to yourself."

"Don't try me, Peyton. Where is my wife?" he asked again, trying to reign in his temper.

"Oh, you mean the one you abandoned?"

"You're pissing me off, Peyton," he said, his voice rising again.

"Yeah? Welcome to my world," she threw back. Peyton tossed her coffee stirrer into the trash can and walked out of the small room, with Nathan hot on her heels. She turned around and he almost ran smack into her. "You need to prepare yourself, Nathan. It's not good."

"Peyton—"

She shook her head and softly placed a hand on his arm. "Prepare yourself," she warned him again, looking into his eyes as she desperately tried to convey in any way she could how serious this was.

Peyton could have said it a million times, but nothing could have equipped Nathan for what he saw when he walked into Haley's hospital room.

"Oh, my God," he whispered. Peyton didn't say a word when Nathan's body began to shake, only placed a hand on his arm when she saw a tear slide down his cheek. He shook her arm off as he practically sprinted from the room. He stopped when he reached the other side of the hallway, and had to fight the tears from falling. He didn't know how long he was there before Peyton appeared at his side.

"Nathan?" she said. "You OK?" she asked tenderly.

His head snapped up. "Are you kidding? I can't even look at my wife, Peyton."

"Stop calling her that," Peyton said.

"She _is_ my wife," he reminded her.

"Only because you wouldn't sign the divorce papers," she shot back.

Nathan sighed deeply. "Do you _really_ want to do this right now?" he asked.

"No," Peyton said, her voice cracking. "No, Nathan, I don't. I really need a friend right now." She felt Nathan put an arm around her shoulders and give her a reassuring squeeze. "Haley's like a sister to me" she said brokenly.

"I know, Peyt," Nathan said softly.

"It's like looking at my Mom," she admitted.

"Hey!" Nathan scolded gently. She lifted her eyes to his. "This is not gonna end the same way, Peyton," he promised.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Because it can't," Nathan said forcefully.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you so much for the reviews for last chapter!_

* * *

Nathan Scott hated everything about hospitals. He hated the smells, the atmosphere, the pitying looks from the doctors and the nurses…and especially the looks from other patients and their families. He had vowed years ago that he'd never step foot in one again. And he hadn't, until the previous afternoon.

It was now one a.m. in Los Angeles. Peyton had tried and tried to get him to leave the hospital and go to a hotel to get some rest, but he refused. He wouldn't leave Haley's side again. When Peyton realized this, _she_ left, going back to her room to squeeze in a shower and some sleep. He'd been alone with Haley for the last three hours, and he hadn't left her side even once. He kept praying and praying for her to open her eyes, but she had yet to even stir.

Peyton had told him everything the doctors had told her. He had listened intently, but what he remembered most were the words concussion, internal bleeding, and possibly more surgeries. Her left arm was in a cast, her right leg in a splint, and she had two blackened eyes. The scariest part, though, for Nathan, was all of the tubes coming out of Haley's body that were hooked up to the overabundance of machines in the room. He'd gotten used to the beeping a few hours ago; he barely heard it anymore.

Just then, a nurse walked in and changed a bag on one of the IV's that she was hooked up to. "Is she in any pain?" Nathan asked, standing up and watching every move the nurse made—as if he had any idea what she was doing. He eyed her suspiciously anyway.

The nurse smiled at him—an effort to comfort him, Nathan was sure. It didn't work. "No. She can't feel a thing. We've got a morphine drip going, and she's under heavy sedation."

"How is she going to be able to wake up if you're keeping her sedated?" Nathan asked.

"Well, we don't want her to wake up just yet. She had multiple surgeries today, Mr…" the nurse looked at him in question.

"Nathan," he supplied.

She smiled softly and nodded. "Nathan. She had three surgeries today, and our main concern for now is keeping her comfortable."

Nathan nodded, and swallowed past the lump in his throat. "What are the chances of her…?" He couldn't finish.

The nurse looked at him in the eye. "It's hard to tell," she said honestly. "The CT didn't show any brain damage, just a slight concussion, but it's really hard to know what that damage is until the patient wakes up. _If_ they wake up," the nurse finished softly. "We've done everything we can."

Nathan nodded.

"It's really up to Haley now," the nurse informed him.

The nurse left the room and Nathan backed up the few steps to his chair and sat down. He pulled it forward until his knees prevented him from moving any closer to her bedside. Taking her hand gently in his, he brought it to his lips. "Did you hear that, baby? The ball is in your court." He gave a heavy sigh. "Come on, Haley. _Don't_ let it end like this," he begged. "I can't lose you. Not like this. I know you're not even mine anymore, but you're _gonna _be .Oh, God, why does it have to take things like this to make everything clear, Hales? I won't lose you, too. I won't let you go like this. Fight, Haley. Fight because you still love me." He let go of her hand and tenderly placed his on her heart. "Somewhere down in there, I know you do. Oh, Haley," he said, his voice breaking, "Fight because _I_ love _you_."

Nathan removed his hand from her heart and reached beneath the collar of his t-shirt. He lifted it, and then pulled on the chain beneath. Once off, he looked at his dangling wedding ring, and then placed it in Haley's open palm. He closed her fingers around it and gave them a squeeze.

* * *

Nathan awoke to a gentle shaking the next morning. He lifted his head from Haley's bedside and blinked his eyes until they were focused. "Hey, Peyton," he said with a yawn, stretching and sitting back in his chair. He put his legs out straight in front of him and crossed his ankles.

"Here," Peyton said, handing him a Styrofoam coffee cup. "You look like you need this."

Nathan took it from her. "Thanks," he said, taking a sip.

She sat down in the chair next to him. "Any change?"

Nathan shook his head. "The nurse told me that it's up to her now on whether or not she wakes up. They've done all they can." He paused for a minute, afraid to ask the next question. "Do you think she wants to wake up, Peyton?"

"Oh, Nathan. Of course she does," she assured him.

And for the first time, Peyton saw this through Nathan's eyes. She'd always been there to see what Haley had gone through, and in the process, she'd automatically taken her side. But Peyton knew now that she had no right ever choosing sides. Haley had never ever talked about the day Nathan had left, and whenever Peyton had broached the subject, she'd always changed it. It was as clear today as it had been the _last _time she had seen them together.

Nathan Scott loved his wife now as much as he ever had. No, Peyton thought, looking at him more closely, noticing the agony in his eyes. He loved her even more.

"Have you heard from her parents?" he asked, jarring her from her thoughts.

Peyton nodded. "They're in Tennessee. They're still three days away. Or more," she told him.

Nathan nodded. "And Lucas?"

"He's on his way. In fact, his flight should be landing anytime," she said, looking at her watch. "And Brooke is on her way, too. They had to drive, because she's in her last trimester and can't get clearance to fly."

There was a short pause. "Is she happy, Peyt?" he asked, leaning forward so his hands were on his knees.

"Brooke?" she questioned, confused.

"My wife," he said softly.

"Nathan—" she started.

"Peyton, please," Nathan pleaded, knowing that she didn't want to betray her friend's trust, but unable to stop himself from wanting to know. He was gazing at her intently, as if her answer meant everything to him…and it did.

Peyton put a hand to her forehead and rubbed it. After a few moments of silence, he didn't think she was going to answer. But she finally did. "No, Nathan, she's not happy. Haley hasn't been happy in a long time."

Nathan nodded and swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I shouldn't have left," he said, standing up and beginning to pace. _The damn room isn't long enough, _Nathan thought in frustration. Three strides and he had to turn back around.

"But you did, Nathan, and you can't change it. So _don't_ do this," she begged him.

"Peyton—"

"There will be plenty of time to berate yourself for the things you could have done differently when Haley wakes up. For now, let's just leave the past in the past."

Nathan nodded. "For now," he said, returning to his seat.

"You must be exhausted," Peyton said softly.

"I'm fine," he lied.

Peyton laughed. "You are _such_ a guy," she teased.

* * *

"What in the hell is _he_ doing here?" Brooke demanded, pointing at Nathan accusingly as she stormed into the hospital room.

"Brooke—" Peyton started.

"Oh, God, Haley," Brooke said, her eyes filling with tears. In a second, she was at her friend's side. "All of the news stations say she might not make it. They're lying, right?" she asked hopefully. But when Nathan and Peyton wouldn't meet her gaze, she knew it was all true. She felt a sob escape and then one after the other; they tore their way out of her body until her chest was heaving.

"Princess, you need to calm down," her husband said, coming up beside her and rubbing her back delicately. "This isn't good for the babies."

"You're having twins?" Peyton said.

Brooke nodded. "Two more girls."

"Wow, five girls, and not a boy in the bunch. How does that make you feel, Mr. Davis?"

Brooke's husband laughed at the nickname that had been given to him when he'd first started dating Brooke in college and she'd been launching her fashion line. "Scared to death," he admitted. Then he grinned. "And anxious to try again!"

Brooke choked back a laugh. Her husband could always make her feel better. She turned to him, and he immediately took her in his arms and squeezed her tightly. "Everything is going to be fine," he told her calmly.

"How can you say that?" Brooke demanded.

Her husband laughed. "Do you really think she'd dare _not_ to wake up with you here?" he reasoned.

Brooke smiled into his chest. "That's true," she said, pulling a hanky from her husband's pocket and blowing her nose in a very unladylike manner before pulling away. "So, what is _he_ doing here?" Brooke asked, ignoring Nathan and looking at Peyton.

"_He _is still her husband," Nathan answered heatedly.

Brooke snorted. "Yeah, when it's _convenient_ for you," she snorted.

Nathan's eyes met hers. "You might want to remember, everything that happened to Haley happened to me, too, Brooke."

"Yeah, well _she _didn't leave _you,"_ Brooke reminded him.

"Not right now, Brooke," Peyton said sternly.

"Are you on _his_ side?" Brooke demanded.

Peyton shrugged. "I'm starting to think that there might not be sides," she said.

Brooke sighed and shook her head. "Whatever. I'm here for _Haley_, anyway."

"We're praying for her," Brooke's husband said.

"Thanks, Mouth," Nathan said sincerely.

Mouth nodded.

Footsteps in the hall alerted them mere seconds before Lucas came sprinting into the room, skidding to a stop at Haley's bedside. He took one look at her and his eyes filled with tears. Peyton was next to him in an instant. He turned to her and leaned his face down onto her shoulder, the sobs overtaking his body.

Nathan quietly got up and exited the room, followed by Brooke and Mouth. As her best friend, and the one who'd known her the longest, Lucas deserved some privacy. And as much as it pained him to admit it, Nathan was pretty sure that Haley would want Lucas right now more than she'd want him.

He was standing back to the windows that overlooked the city with his arms crossed over his chest when Brooke walked up to him. He mentally prepared himself for the ambush he was sure to come; it never did. She gasped as she looked him in the eyes. Her own filled with tears and Nathan turned away, overwhelmed by her display of emotion.

"You still love her," she said softly.

Still not looking at her, Nathan nodded. Unable to stand still beneath her stare, he moved his arms down to his sides.

Catching him completely by surprise, Brooke threw herself at his chest and put her arms around his waist. It was a good thing the wall was holding him up, or she would have knocked them both to the floor. He could feel her sobs starting again. "I'm so sorry, Nathan," she said between them, "for… everything that I never told you I was sorry for."

Nathan squeezed Brooke tight, fighting tears of his own. "Thanks, Brooke," he said huskily, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

Nathan looked up and Mouth gave him a sad grin.

"Nathan came," Lucas said, still amazed.

Peyton grinned softly at her husband. "Yeah, he came."

Lucas shook his head. "This can't be happening, Peyt."

"You have to have faith, Lucas. We have to believe that everything is going to be fine."

He nodded. "I do. I have faith," he said quickly. "How's Nathan?"

"I haven't seen him like this since…" she couldn't finish her sentence.

"Yeah," he said, putting an arm around his wife. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You look tired."

"I _am _tired," she told him.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"I could eat," she said.

"Let's see if the others want to get something in the cafeteria."

"OK" she agreed.

They walked into the hallway and saw Nathan, Brooke, and Mouth standing there. "Want to go to the cafeteria to get something to eat?" Peyton asked.

"Sounds good to me," Mouth said, and Brooke nodded.

Nathan shook his head. "I don't want Haley to be alone," he explained.

Brooke stepped away from Mouth and put her hand on Nathan's arm. "You guys go," she said. "Peyton and I will stay with her, and then when you're done, we'll go."

Brooke looked at Peyton for agreement and she nodded obediently. "That's a good idea," she agreed.

After placing a kiss on his wife's forehead and briefly placing his hand on her belly, Mouth followed Nathan and Lucas down the hall.


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you so much for the reviews for last chapter!_

* * *

Nathan, Lucas, and Mouth found a table in the crowded cafeteria and sat down. Nathan had remembered to go back to the room and grab his baseball cap, hoping to cut down on the chances that he'd be recognized. Luckily, it had worked. Or maybe L.A. folks weren't interested in a New York Knicks player. Either way, he was grateful.

"You look like ass, little brother," Lucas said. He sniffed. "You smell like it, too."

Nathan grinned, but Lucas knew there was no humor behind the sound. "No one would know what ass smells like better than you, big brother, being that you're the biggest one I know," he shot back.

Lucas laughed. "You're getting better…thinking more quickly on your feet," he complimented.

"Thanks," Nathan said, then looked at Mouth. "So, how's being a dad?" he asked.

Mouth grinned from ear to ear. "There's nothing like it."

Nathan shook his head, "No, there isn't," he agreed. "The only thing that comes close to it is being a husband," he said, his voice full of regret.

The men sat there eating, and Mouth hurried along so he could be the first one to finish. Wanting to give the brothers needed some time alone, he excused himself. He stood up and put the wrapped cookies resting on his plate in his pocket. "I better get back to Brooke," he said. "She's a bear when she's pregnant, which, you know, has been for like the last four years. And I saw the look in her eyes. She's starving. I'll see you back there." With that, he left Nathan and Lucas sitting there.

"Talk to me, little brother" Lucas said softly.

Nathan put his sandwich down and sighed intensely. "What do you want me to say?" he asked.

"I want you to tell me what's going on with you."

Nathan met his brother's eyes. "I'm thinking about what a dick I've been for the past four years," he said honestly. "I'm thinking that I never should have left my wife in the state that she was in. I'm thinking that life fuckin' sucks, and that if our son hadn't died, things would be just fine. Is that what you want to hear?" he asked bitterly.

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, the truth is what I wanted to hear," he said, standing up. "Let's go outside-away from all these people and go for a walk," he suggested.

Nathan stood, too, and they brought their trays to the garbage can, threw their trash away, and walked to the elevators. Neither said a word as they rode down to the lobby and walked out of the front exit of the hospital. Nathan shivered despite the warmth and put his hands in his pockets, watching where he was going, but not really seeing anything.

_"The Knicks want me, Haley," Nathan said._

_Haley looked up from the sink and smiled weakly at her husband. "What did they say when you said 'see me after college?'" she asked._

_Nathan cleared his throat. "I didn't say that."_

_She pulled her hands out of the sudsy water and grabbed the dish towel from the counter, using it to wipe her hands on. She walked over to the table and sat down across from Nathan. "What did you say?"_

_When he wouldn't meet her gaze, she immediately knew. Finally he looked up. "I'm leaving in a week," he told her._

_"Nathan—"_

_"I want you to come with me, Hales."_

_Haley's eyes filled with tears that she refused to cry. With the way things had been going between them, he hadn't called her Hales in a long time. "But…we had an agreement. We finish college, and _then_we make a decision where to go from there. We decided that _together_, Nathan. Your education is important."_

_"I already signed the contract," he admitted._

_"How could you?" she asked desperately. "You didn't even talk to me about it. Nathan—we had a plan!"_

_"Yeah, well, we planned to be parents forever, too, but look at where we are now," he said, motioning around the apartment with his arm._

_Haley ran a hand through her hair. "I can't believe you did this," she said accusingly._

_He got up from his seat and came to stand in front of her. He knelt down and took her hands in his. "Come _with_ me, Haley. You can transfer to NYU. We can start over." He swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I can't stay in this apartment. Not with James' room just down the hall. It's a constant reminder that he's gone."_

_Haley pulled her hands away and stood up. "No. I'm not going with you," she refused stubbornly. "I came _here_ with you, to Duke, because it's where you wanted to go. I followed _your_ dream. And you promised me that we would finish school before you decided where you were going to play in the NBA. So I made _that_ my dream—finishing school. I'm not going to give this one up, too."_

_"Haley—you can still finish school. In New York. "_

_She shook her head. "I'm going to stay with Brooke and Mouth," she said, turning away and walking purposefully toward their bedroom. "Haley!" he yelled._

_She turned around. "Don't you dare yell at me, Nathan Scott!"_

_He laughed bitterly. "You think I'm going to just let you go?"_

_She laughed in turn. "You think you have a choice?" she shot back, pulling her suitcase out and tossing it onto the bed. She opened it and then started hastily throwing her things inside._

_"So, what? You go to Brooke's and Mouth's? And then what?"_

_"I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead yet," Haley said angrily. "_I'm_not__ the one who makes choices about our future without consulting you."_

_He sat down on the bed and she could feel his gaze on her the entire time she was packing. She had all she could do not to stop and beg him to try and get out of his contract. But she felt like enough had changed without him about to uproot them and change everything else in their lives, too._

_"My flight is leaving next Friday morning at 10 a.m. I want you to come with me, Haley," he told her. "I won't board that plane until the last possible minute. If you're not there, then I'll know it's over."_

_She looked up at him and met his eyes. "I won't be there," she assured him, snapping her suitcase shut. "It's already over._

_**ONE WEEK LATER…**_

_"I'm sorry, Mr. Scott," the airline attendant said. "But if you don't board the plane now, I'm afraid it's going to leave without you."_

_Nathan took one last look around the airport and sighed in defeat. Haley wasn't coming. He looked at the attendant and nodded. "Ok," he said, walking toward the gate to board his flight to New York._

"I visited James' grave on his birthday," Lucas told his brother.

"Yeah, me, too," Nathan said, still looking straight ahead as they walked.

"You had a game that day," Lucas said.

"Yep," Nathan agreed. "And by the time I'd flown back to L.A., I was exhausted."

"They let you do that on a game day?" Lucas asked.

Nathan nodded. "It's a clause in my contract," he informed Lucas. "I get to visit him on his birthday. And on his death day," he said quietly.

"I've never heard of such a thing," Lucas said.

"Yeah, well, when they want you bad enough, they'll give you whatever you ask for."

Lucas nodded. "It looks nice. Someone takes good care of it," he said.

"Yeah, I pay for someone to maintain it," he said. "He plants those purple wild flowers that Haley loves so much," he continued, more to himself than to Lucas.

Lucas cleared his throat. "So, what do you think is going to happen when Haley wakes up?" he asked.

Nathan stopped, hands still in his pockets, and lifted his eyes to his brother's. "You mean _if_?" he asked.

"No," Lucas said fiercely, reaching out and squeezing his brother's shoulder. "I mean _when_."

"Thanks," Nathan said, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He started walking again, Lucas by his side. "Well, when Haley wakes up I do what I should have done a long time ago. I stick by her," he said, his voice full of emotion. "Whether she likes it or not."

"Nathan—you don't want—"

"Yeah, Lucas. I want a drink. I want a drink every damn day of my sorry life, but wanting one and letting myself have one are two different things. I won't let myself have one," Nathan assured his brother. "It's been years."

When Haley hadn't come to the airport, Nathan had been devastated. But he'd known that ultimately, it was her choice. He'd told her that he wanted her there, and that should have been enough. Then he'd let his pride get in the way and refused to beg her. Instead, he'd drunk himself into oblivion as often as possible, and being that he was in pre-season training and the Knicks weren't on the road yet, it had been nearly every night. It only took two telephone conversations for Lucas to know that all was not right with his brother, and he'd been on a flight to New York immediately. He'd tried to talk some sense into Nathan; it hadn't helped. So he'd just stayed and made sure that where Nathan went, he went, too. Lucas took care of him when he needed it and waited patiently for his brother to come to his senses. It wasn't long after the season had started that Nathan pulled himself out of his stupor. It was obvious that he couldn't continue on the way he'd been _and _play to the best of his ability.

Nathan had realized that for the second time in his life, he'd turned to alcohol to solve his problems. The first time had been when Haley had left to go out on tour. He wouldn't do it again. He promised himself—and Lucas—that he was done drinking; he hadn't touched a drop since. Not even when celebrating a big win.

But now he was going to get Haley back. And at this point, where this situation was concerned, pride was no longer an issue. Begging was no longer beneath him when it came to his wife.


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you for the reviews for last chapter! :)_

* * *

"You know, I realize that you and Haley had it the worst, but we _all_ lost that little boy," Lucas said quietly as he and Nathan turned around and headed back towards the hospital.

Nathan looked down at the ground and nodded his head. "I know that, Lucas. More _now_ than I did then. _Then_ it was just about…what _we_ were going through."

"And then it was made worse when we lost you and Haley," Lucas continued.

"You didn't _lose _us. I joined the Knicks, and Haley went to Stanford," Nathan said with a shrug. "She followed her dream."

Lucas stopped and his eyes followed Nathan as he continued down the sidewalk. When Nathan realized that his brother wasn't beside him any longer, he stopped and looked up, and then behind him. "What?" he asked in confusion.

"You don't get it, do you?"

"Lucas, what are you talking about?"

"Haley's dream hadn't been Stanford for a long time, Nathan. Haley's dream was _you._"

"Yeah? Well if that's true, then why didn't she come to New York with me when I asked her to?" Nathan shot back heatedly.

"Because she wanted you to _fight_ for her!" Lucas told him.

Nathan laughed bitterly. "Haley's not like that."

Lucas gave a similar laugh. "She was devastated, Nathan. And she wanted you to fight for her," he said again.

Nathan rolled his eyes.

"How stupid _are _you?" Lucas asked. "She waited at Brooke's and Mouth's for a _month_ for you to come back for her. And when it was finally clear that you weren't, she left. Much like you did, without a word to anyone else. Only a note." When Nathan didn't respond, Lucas continued. "Haley was always the one to fight for you, Nathan. Look at what happened when she came back from the tour. You made her chase you."

"I didn't _make_ her chase me. And besides, _she _was the one who left."

"Well, if you're going to use that logic, then you're arguing _my_ point," Lucas informed him. "You're the one who left, so it was up to you to come back after her."

"Are you seriously going to stand here and have this argument with me while Haley's in the hospital unconscious?"

"At least I know you can't run."

Nathan sighed and continued on his way.

"You guys have never been the same," Lucas said.

"Yeah? Well _you_ lose a son and then try to pick up the pieces after he dies!"

"Well, it kind of looked like you did," Lucas said. "With all of the parties and supermodels."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, maybe you shouldn't believe everything you read in the papers. And maybe you shouldn't judge me."

"Are you just gonna wait until she wakes up and then leave again?" Lucas asked straight out. "Because if you're just gonna break Haley's heart again, then maybe you should go now," he said.

"Some brother _you _are," Nathan said, picking up his pace. He didn't bother to look to see if Lucas was behind him.

* * *

After everyone had visited the cafeteria, they were in Haley's room surrounding her bed catching up with each other.

Nathan was in the chair at her side, his hand clasping hers. He felt like a fly on the wall, not participating in conversation, just listening to what was going on around him. He only took his eyes off of Haley only for brief moments.

Peyton was laughing. "So, what was it like finding out that you were having two more girls, Mouth?" she asked.

Mouth looked at his wife, who was glowing. Peyton couldn't help but notice how Brooke seemed to glow even more when her husband was gazing at her. Mouth grinned. "My first thought was that I hope they look like their mother," he said, squeezing Brooke's hand. "My second thought was that I was going to have to add another bathroom," he said, making everyone laugh.

Listening to Mouth's story, Nathan was overcome with guilt, as he always was, when he thought of how he hadn't been sure if he'd wanted James when Haley had first found out that she was having a boy.

_Nathan and Haley had been in the car on the way home from her doctor's appointment and he hadn't said a word since they'd left. Haley was nervously twirling her wedding ring around her finger. "You haven't said a word since we left the doctor's office, Nathan," she said. Still, he said nothing. "Will you talk to me?"_

_He didn't take his eyes off the road, but Haley saw his knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. "I didn't want a boy, Haley," he divulged._

_"Nathan—" she started, but he interrupted her._

_"It's just gonna happen again, Haley. You were there when my grandparents came home for my dad's birthday._ _You saw how it went. Dad couldn't do anything right for grandpa, and I couldn't do anything right for dad," Nathan reminded her. "It's just a vicious cycle. I like to think I'm not like him, but Hales, what if I am?" he asked, looking away from the road briefly with fear in his eyes._

_Haley took his hand and squeezed it. "I didn't realize that you were scared."_

_"Neither did I," he admitted._

_Haley shifted in the passenger seat so that her back was against the window and she was facing him, which was no small feat with her seatbelt and slightly swollen belly. "First of all—you are _nothing_ like Dan," Haley said forcefully. "Second of all, I know you love your mom, Nathan, and so do I, but I'm not like her. You grew up with Dan in large part because your mother wouldn't leave._ I_ wouldn't have stayed, Nathan. I wouldn't let our child be treated the way that you were treated. And I wouldn't choose to have children with someone who could be like Dan. That's why I chose _you_," she finished softly._

_Nathan absently caressed her knuckles with his fingers. "Do you really think I can be a good father?" he asked._

_"I _know_ you can," she assured him._

_"Thanks, Haley. For being my wife. And for believing in me," he said, his voice full of emotion. _

As it turned out, Nathan thought, Haley's faith in him had been unwarranted. He'd been unable to protect their son. Thankfully, raucous laughter pulled him from his thoughts.

"So, I walk in," Brooke was saying, "And there's Mouth, Gracie on his hip-wailing at the top of her lungs, Janie in a heap on the floor, crying just as loud, and Cassidy trying to tell him how to make a bottle," Brooke said. "It was the first time I'd ever left him alone with all three of them. Needless to say, it was also the last. The next day we found I was pregnant with the twins and started interviewing nannies," she finished.

Lucas laughed. "Dude, I can't even imagine living with that many females. I have a whole new respect for you, Mouth."

"Thanks," Mouth returned.

Just then, the nurse walked in. "Hey, guys. It's time for us to switch shifts, so visitors are limited for the next hour or so. If you could say your goodbyes, and give Haley a little break, that would be great. Except for you, Nathan. You're welcome to stay," the nurse said with a sad smile.

Nathan nodded his thanks to the nurse.

Brooke yawned and stretched. "Tired, Princess?" Mouth asked.

She nodded. "And wanting to see the girls."

"Yeah, we do need to get back to the kids," he agreed. "We'll see you tomorrow." He went over and gave Nathan a quick hug while Brooke gave Haley a kiss on the cheek. As the two walked out of the room, Nathan got up and followed them.

"Brooke," he said softly.

She stopped and turned around. "Yeah?"

"I'm not sure what Haley told you all those years ago when I left—"he started.

"She told me not to be angry with you," she whispered.

"What?" he said, taken aback. He'd thought Haley had been furious with him at that time. In fact, he'd been sure of it. He'd seen it the night he left, reflected in her cold eyes when she'd promised him that she wouldn't be at the airport to go to New York with him. He certainly hadn't expected her to defend him.

Brooke tilted her head to the side. "She told me that I had no right to judge you for the decisions you were making...because I had no idea what it was like to lose a child," she said gently. "And she was right. I had no idea then. And even thought I still don't know now, as a mother, I understand just a little more. And my heart breaks for you, Nathan. I can't even imagine what you went through. I'm proud of you for just living through it," she told him with tears in her eyes.

Nathan pulled Brooke into a hug and she squeezed him so tight that he knew she was trying to convey all of her compassion for him and Haley in the gesture. He squeezed her back to let her know that he understood. They pulled apart and she kissed him on the cheek. "Don't let her go this time, Nathan," she begged softly.

Nathan grinned. "I won't," he promised.

Brooke and Mouth left, and Nathan walked back into the hospital room. Peyton was zipping up her hoodie and Lucas was pulling his sweatshirt over his head. "Listen, about what I said before—" Lucas began.

Nathan shook his head. "I didn't like it," he said bluntly, then shrugged. "Mostly because it's true. And that's the shitty part, Luke. I can't be mad at you for telling me the truth."

As Lucas and Peyton left the hospital, Lucas was reflecting on the conversation with his brother. He knew he'd been hard on Nathan, and he also knew that he'd been close to pushing him to his limit, but he had to make sure that Nathan was going to stay and fight for Haley this time.


	5. Chapter 5

**_a/n: Thank you for the reviews for last chapter. :)_**

* * *

_It's time to call it, Dr. Burke, the nurse shouted. The doctor sighed. "She's so young," he said, then sighed again. "Haley James, time of death, 3:42 a. m."_

"_Scott!" Nathan yelled._

_Everyone in the room turned to look at him, wondering what he was talking about. _

"_Her name is Haley James Scott!" he yelled. "She's my wife!"_

_**"Was **__your wife!" the doctor said coldly, brushing past Nathan and out of the room._

Nathan awoke with a start, breathing heavily. He bolted up from Haley's side and saw that the sheets were soaked where his head had been. He'd been sweating bullets in his dream, and apparently, it had manifested itself in real life, too.

He sat there staring at Haley, willing her to move. After five minutes, he punched the mattress on the bed where his head had been. "Dammitt, Haley! Wake up!" he implored. When she didn't he sighed, got up, and walked into the bathroom. He went in and splashed some cold water on his face, then looked at himself in the mirror. He had dark circles under his eyes, and even _he_ had to admit that he looked like crap. He knew he needed sleep, but he also knew it wasn't going to happen. They'd brought a cot in for him, but the dream that he'd had was the third one he'd had that night, and he just needed to be near Haley's side.

If he was honest with himself, and he was trying desperately not to be, he was terrified that Haley wasn't going to wake up. That she didn't _want _to wake up. And right now, he couldn't even think about what would happen if Haley didn't wake up. He'd barely been living before this had happened to her. _Feelings_ were new to him again. It was almost like he'd been walking around in an empty shell, not letting himself experience anything. The only time he ever let his guard down was when he was on the court playing, and even then, it was only the thrill of victory he enjoyed. He never let himself experience the agony of defeat; he completely blocked it out. He knew now that he couldn't go back to that way of life. He _wouldn't _go back to that way of life. He wouldn't live without Haley again.

Nathan walked out of the bathroom, through Haley's room down to the family room and poured himself a cup of coffee. He almost gagged when he took a sip. He didn't even want to think about how long it had been sitting there. _Oh, well,_ he thought. _Whatever it takes to keep me awake. _He didn't want to sleep again, fearing he'd have another dream. He returned to Haley's room and pulled his chair back a little from her bed so he could stretch his legs out in front of him. He covered himself with the thin blanket the nurse had given him and sat there watching over Haley. Around four o'clock, Nathan's eyelids started drooping and it was getting harder and harder to keep them open. He finally gave in to sleep, restless as it was.

* * *

Nathan awoke the next morning to Lucas shaking him. "Hey, little brother."

He yawned and sat up. "What time is it?"

"7," Lucas answered, taking a sip of his coffee and handing one to Nathan.

"What in the hell are you doing here so early?" Nathan asked.

"Peyton's holding a press conference in one of the banquet rooms here, and she wanted it to be as early as possible. She's hoping to avoid as much of the press as she can."

"And she doesn't think they'll drag themselves out of bed for this?" he asked.

"She's hoping they won't," Lucas told him.

"Fat chance."

"That's what I told her, but you remember Peyton, right?"

Nathan laughed. "Yeah, I remember Peyton." There was a silence for a minute. "Thanks for the coffee."

"No problem."

"We never got a honeymoon," Nathan said, looking at Haley.

"Huh?" Lucas asked.

"Haley and me. We never got a honeymoon," he repeated. "When she gets out of here, and she's finally recovered, I'm gonna take her to London," he decided aloud.

Lucas looked at his brother for a minute, before pulling up another seat in the room so he was sitting beside his brother. "Nate?"

"Yeah?" he said, taking his gaze off of Haley.

Lucas sighed. "I want you to fight for Haley—I do. But you need to remember, there's a possibility that she won't come back to you."

Nathan shook his head stubbornly, returning his gaze to his wife. "Not an option," he said firmly.

"Nate—"

Nathan's eyes flew to Lucas'. "I _won't _live without her again," he said quietly.

"OK," Lucas said smoothly.

Nathan sighed and ran his hands down over his face. "Losing James was hard, Lucas. But this—seeing her like this—" he shook his head. "I didn't know it could be so hard."

"Yeah, I know," Lucas said, squeezing his brothers' shoulder. "It's my best friend laying there, Nate."

There was another moment of silence. "Were you guys in touch?" Nathan finally asked Lucas.

He nodded. "Yeah, we were in touch. We talked two or three times a week. More if she had things going on."

"What kinds of things?" Nathan asked, interested in any information about the life Haley had been living that he could get.

"Nate—"

"Never mind, you don't have to answer," he said quietly, letting his brother off the hook.

Lucas sighed. "On your birthday. On your wedding anniversary. On _James' _birthday. On the anniversary of his death."

Nathan nodded.

"Just times when she really needed a friend."

"Thanks for being there for her," Nathan said.

Peyton came flying into the room at that point, taking her jacket off in a huff. She threw it on the chair just inside the doorway. "Stupid vultures! The whole lot of them!" she complained, pacing.

Lucas and Nathan looked at each other and then Lucas turned his gaze to his wife and cleared his throat. "Babe? That was quick."

"Yeah, well, really? What am I going to say? It's not like I have any new information. Unless, of-course, I were to say, 'Oh, by the way, Haley's super famous husband and by coincidence, my brother in law, NBA sensation Nathan Scott flew in and has been by her side throughout this whole ordeal.'"

Nathan laughed. "That would have been awesome," he said.

"What?" Peyton said in a panic.

"Well, not the aftermath, but seriously. To see their faces? How awesome would that be, Peyt?"

Peyton cracked a smile for the first time since coming into the room. "OK, to see the look on their faces _would_ be priceless, but I couldn't do that to Haley. Not without her permission. Fun as it would be," she muttered.

"So, what did you tell them?" Lucas asked.

"Continue to keep Haley in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks for all of the letters and cards, blah blah blah. The usual." She looked at Nathan. "Any updates?" she asked, going to Haley's side to get a better look at her.

"Shouldn't you have asked me that before you met with the press?" Nathan asked.

Peyton waved a hand in the air. "Oh, who cares about the stupid press?" she said. "Do you know what one of them asked me?"

"What?" Nathan asked.

"Ms. Sawyer, are you sure that Haley hasn't already woken up and that this isn't a publicity stunt? Her new record, after all, is set to be released in just under a month."

"What did you say?" Nathan asked.

Peyton sighed. "I'm afraid my professionalism deserted me. I said, 'Yes, sir, she's up in her room right now, wide awake, playing _tiddlywinks_ as we speak. I'll let her know that she's been busted, and she'll be right down to give you a big fat hello!'"

"Peyton, you did not say that," Lucas said.

Peyton grinned. "Actually—I did."

Lucas laughed. "Well, save some of that feistiness for later," he told her.

Nathan rolled his eyes. "You guys, please."

"Oh, what, virgin in the room?" Lucas teased.

Nathan snorted. "I might as well be," he said to himself.

Peyton and Lucas looked at each other, eyes wide, trying not to laugh.

Lucas cleared his throat. "By the way, I brought some clothes for you. In the bag, by the door," he said.

Nathan nodded. "Thanks," he said.

Lucas stayed for a little while longer before leaving to meet with his editor who had flown in from New York. After walking him to his car, Peyton returned to the room.

"OK, dude, I can smell you all the way over here. Go take a shower! I promise I'll stay with Haley." Peyton ordered him.

Nathan looked at her and grinned.

"What?" she asked.

"You're the only female I know who can pull off 'dude,'" he told her.

She laughed. "Yes, well, I have a way with words."

Haley's nurse walked in. "How's our patient today?" she asked.

"I don't know, Rosie, you tell us," Nathan said.

She looked at him and grinned. "You remember my name! Are you sweet on me?" the motherly woman asked.

Nathan grinned at her. "Busted," he said. "Hey, Rosie, do you think it'd be OK if I used the shower in this room?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, Nathan, but patients bathrooms are strictly for the patients. You shouldn't be using them at _all_," she told him.

Nathan nodded. "OK," he said.

Rosie looked around as if to ensure that they were alone. "Look, I probably shouldn't tell you this, but there's a gym in the basement of the hospital. It's for employees only. I've never actually used it, but I have a key." She reached into her pocket and pulled it off her key ring, giving it to Nathan.

"Thanks, Rosie," he said, smiling widely. "You're the best."

The woman blushed. "If they ask, you stole it from me," she said.

"Got it," he affirmed.

She gave him directions to the gym and he grabbed the bag Lucas had given him to bring with him.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Nathan returned to the eighth floor of the hospital, and when he got to the door of Haley's room, he started panicking. Her room was packed with people just like it had been three times in his dreams last night. He sprinted into the room, and he knew he shouldn't, but he elbowed his way through the people until he was at the foot of Haley's bed. His heart clenched at the sight before him.

Her eyes were open.


	6. Chapter 6

_a/n: Thank you so much for the reviews for last chapter! I hope all of you who celebrate are having a wonderful Thanksgiving!_

* * *

Nathan was standing in the hallway just outside of Haley's room when Peyton rushed up to him. She thrust a cup of coffee in his general direction, and he took it from her. "Did you see her?" she asked anxiously.

"Just a quick glimpse. I left before she saw me," he told her. "I didn't want to upset her. Were you with her when she woke up?" he asked.

"Yeah," she told him. "But they made me leave, so I went to call Lucas and get a cup of coffee."

"Does she remember anything?"

"Nothing about the accident."

Nathan nodded and they stood outside for about an hour, watching as people came and went until finally the room was clear again.

"I want to go in alone," he told Peyton.

She nodded understandingly, having doing an about face in the last couple of days. There was no doubt in her mind now that Nathan had always and would always love his wife. "OK," she said, taking one of his hands and giving it a light squeeze. "I'm here if you need me," she reminded him.

He hugged her. "Thanks, Peyt. You can call them now," he said.

They had, of course, called Haley's parents and Lucas immediately and told them that she was awake, but Peyton had agreed to wait on calling Brooke and Mouth so that Nathan could have just a little bit of time with her. He left Peyton in the hallway with the doctor. She could fill him in later. Right now, he needed to see his wife.

* * *

The sight that greeted Nathan when he walked into the room was the most precious thing he'd seen since his son was born. Haley was on her bed, and her eyes were open. The television was on, but she wasn't watching it. Instead, she was rummaging through her purse. She didn't notice him right away, so he crossed his arms and stood in the doorway, just watching her. When she found what she was looking for, she sighed, and pulled it to her chest, her eyes filling with tears. Finally, she looked up, and that was when she saw him.

He saw her swallow nervously and reach up to pat her hair. She used her arms to try and push herself up straighter, but they weren't strong enough. He realized that she was worried about how she looked to him. He almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation. She'd never been anything less than beautiful to him. Well, except in that crazy poncho, but that was another story. One he grinned just thinking about. He pushed himself away from the door and approached her cautiously. "Hello," he said softly.

Her eyes darted around the room anxiously, as if wishing that someone, _any_one else was in the room with them. She cleared her throat so that she could speak. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice scratchy. She tried clearing her throat again.

He strode to the bed and put a hand on her head, sweeping her hair away from her face. His need to touch her was overwhelming. He kissed her forehead and sat down beside her on the bed, looking into her eyes. "It's good to see you awake," he said, ignoring her question.

"What are you doing here?" she repeated.

"I needed to see you," he said, his voice full of emotion.

"Now you have," she whispered.

Nathan smiled weakly. "I forgot how beautiful you are," he told her.

Tears sprang to her eyes and she looked away from him. He knew that she didn't believe him. "You should go," she said.

"I'm not leaving, Hales, so save your strength."

"Nathan—"

"Are you thirsty?" he asked, reaching for the cup of water on her tray.

She shook her head. "I'm fine. I just want you to—"

"Haley, please don't ask me to leave...because I can't do that."

In that instant—she knew he was begging. And for the first time since he'd walked into the room, Haley studied Nathan's face. There were dark circles underneath his eyes and he looked so pale. How long had he been here with her?

Haley sighed, obviously exhausted and unwilling to argue with him. "All-right," she said softly. "I won't ask you to go. But please don't mistake this as me wanting you to stay, Nathan."

He nodded slowly, relief filling his eyes. He leaned in and gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. "Nathan, please," Haley said, trying to push him away. He only tightened his hold on her.

"You can fight me if you want to, Hales, but I'm not letting you go." She felt him shrug. "So you should just give in."

* * *

She should have fought him. She knew she should have fought him, but she couldn't be certain that it wasn't the last time she'd ever feel his arms hold her like this again, and she'd always loved the feel of his arms surrounding her. So she gave in, resting her head on his shoulder and rubbing her cheek against his t-shirt. Warmth radiated through his clothes comforting her instantly. His embrace had always been comforting to her.

"_I can't believe we ran out of oil!" she said, half angry, half laughing, all of her teeth chattering. "How stupid __**are**__ we?" _

_Nathan looked at her, and her eyes were dancing. Thank God. If she was any other woman, she'd be yelling at him right now. But not Haley. She found the humor in the situation._

_"I just __**had **__to marry a man who knows nothing about fixing anything!" she continued, still laughing._

"_Well, there should be directions on how to read the gauge on an oil tank!" he said in mock indignation._

_She only laughed harder. "Here are your directions, Baby. F means full, E means empty. Isn't it uncanny how much it resembles the gas gauge in the car?" she mocked._

"_You better run, Haley James Scott!" he warned her._

_She knew he was kidding, but she took off running anyway. She ran from the living room into the kitchen around one side of the island, and he ran around the other. He bent over, so when he made contact with her, his shoulder softly hit her midsection. He just kept running, throwing her up over his shoulder and heading in the direction of their bedroom. "Nathan! What are you doing?" she screeched._

"_I'm gonna warm you up," he informed her, not breaking his stride. When he got to the bedroom, he threw her down onto the bed and reached for the stuffed bear. He threw it to the floor. "Mr. Waffles really shouldn't see this," he joked._

_Haley laughed. "See what?" she asked. "It's like an ice chest in here! I'm not letting you get my clothes off."_

_He sighed dramatically. "Oh, well. I guess I'll have to settle for cuddling," he teased. _

"_Race you under the covers," Haley said. _

_Not anticipating Nathan's competitiveness, Haley wasn't prepared when he gave her what he thought was a light shove. She fell off the side of the bed and landed on her butt. "I win!" Nathan said, from safely under the covers. He looked around. Where the hell did she go? "Haley?"_

_She peeked up over the side of the bed. "Yes?" she answered._

_Nathan laughed. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked._

"_You pushed me!" she told him._

"_I didn't push you!" he denied. "I was holding you firmly in place to gain the upper hand," he clarified._

"_Yeah, well, that 'upper hand' knocked me right off the bed and onto the floor," she told him, standing up, her teeth chattering._

_He opened the covers for her, and she jumped beneath them. He pulled her closer so he could wrap his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. She wiggled her whole body, trying to get closer to his warmer one. "How can you be so warm when it is so cold in here?" she asked him._

_Nathan grinned and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "That's all you, Hales," he teased, winking at her. "See what you do to me?"_

Haley blinked and pulled herself away from the memory and Nathan's warm body at the same time. "Remember the time—" he started.

Haley swallowed nervously and shook her head, knowing he'd been thinking the same thing. Their connection had always been uncanny. "I don't want to think about the past right now, Nathan," she told him.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

Just then, they heard footsteps running down the hall, and Lucas ran into the room. He put his hands on his knees, and bent over, breathing heavily. "I was—in a meeting—when Peyton—called me," he said between breaths.

Finally, Lucas' breathing evened out, and he looked up at Haley. "You know, gorgeous, if you wanted to see me, you didn't have to get into a car accident. All you had to do was call."

Haley looked at him, and started laughing. She kept laughing, until suddenly, her laughter turned to tears and she was crying hysterically. Lucas was across the room in less than a second, and had his arms wrapped around her. He lifted one of his hands, and stroked her hair. "Sshh," he said softly. "Everything is going to be fine."

Neither one of them noticed when Nathan quietly got up and exited the room.

Haley sobbed for a good five minutes before she was done. Finally, she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Well..._that _was embarrassing."

Lucas pulled away and grinned at her. "You made me play pretend SATs with you when we were younger, but _this _was embarrassing?"

Haley giggled. "I'm proud of my pretend SATs," she told him, realizing they were alone in the room.

"I'll bet you are," he said softly, stroking her hair again. He gave her another hug, and she hugged him back with her good arm.

"I'm so glad you're here, Lucas."

He pulled away and grinned at her again. "Where else would I be?" he asked.

Haley smiled softly and took a deep breath. "What is Nathan doing here?"

"He wanted to see you, Hales," Lucas told her. "Actually, I think he _needed _to see you," he corrected himself.

"I asked him to leave, but he said he wouldn't." She chewed on her lower lip nervously. "Will you ask him to leave?" she asked.

Lucas shook his head. "No," he said firmly.

Her eyes filled with tears and he almost changed his mind. "Why not?" she pressed.

"Because. You need him as much as he needs you," Lucas told her.

Haley started crying softly, and Lucas pulled her to him, rocking her gently. "It's going to be OK, Hales," he assured her.


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note: Thanks so much for taking the time to review the last chapter! - Angie_

* * *

Nathan was standing in the hallway running his thumb over the photograph in his hand. He was staring at it intently. When Lucas had gone to Haley's side and hugged her, the picture had slipped from her lap and off the bed; luckily it hadn't escaped his attention, and Nathan had picked it up. He had expected it to be a picture of James, but it wasn't. It was a picture of the three of them; him, Haley, and James. It was taken in late October and James had been sixteen months old, just a few short weeks before Haley and Nathan had received the news that had rocked their storybook existence.

_Nathan was standing near the top of the slide and he reached up and placed James on the slanted surface, his hands gently placed around his sons' tiny little waist. "Are you ready, Hales?" he asked, looking over his shoulder._

_"I'm ready," she told him. He let James go, and turned around. He smiled at his wife, who already had her arms out for their son. "Come see mommy, James," she said to him, grinning from ear to ear. The little boy shrieked with delight as he descended the slide and flew into his mother's arms. When he reached Haley, she picked him up and swung him around in a circle. "Wasn't that fun?" she asked breathlessly, kissing him on one of his chubby little cheeks._

_"Again!" James said._

_Haley set him down, and he took off running for his daddy, his eyes never leaving Nathan's. Nathan saw his son trip, but reached him and had him in his arms before he even had a chance to hit the ground. James laughed gleefully. "Again!" he commanded._

_They had played like that for about a half an hour with James before inspiration struck Nathan._

_"I have an idea, Hales," he told her. _

_Haley started laughing. "What is it?" she asked._

_"I'll be right back," he said, running for the bench a little ways away._

_"Nathan!" she called after him._

_"Excuse me," Nathan said, reaching the elderly couple on the bench. He pulled his camera out of his pocket. "I was wondering if you could take a picture of me with my wife and son?" he asked._

_The old man stood up, and then helped his wife up. "I think it's the least we could do since you've been providing us with this entertainment," the elderly man said with a smile. "We've been watching you for last half hour playing together. What a sight!" The old man grinned down at his wife. "Reminds me of us when we were younger," he said to her, reaching over to pat the hand that she had wrapped through his arm. He looked at Nathan again. "They grow up so fast," he told him. "Don't blink, son, or you'll miss something!" he warned._

_Nathan grinned at the older man, enjoying their conversation. "I won't," he promised._

_"And that little wife of yours? What a ticket! Don't let __**her**__ go!"_

_Nathan looked at Haley with their son and he could swear his heart was going to burst. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said softly. Finally, they reached Haley. Nathan kissed her on the forehead._

_"Hi, little lady," the elderly man said to Haley as his own wife, standing right beside him, smiled at James, in his mother's arms._

_"Hi," Haley returned, smiling back at them._

_"This man's gonna take our picture," he told Haley._

_"OK," Haley said. _

_"Come on," Nathan said, pulling her by the hand toward the slide._

_She laughed while James bounced happily in her other arm, seeing that they were approaching the slide again. "What are we doing?" she asked._

_"You'll see," he said._

Nathan looked down at the picture in his hand again. He was sitting near the top of the slide, with Haley between his legs, James between hers. He and Haley were smiling widely in the picture, and you could tell that James was happy. All three of their cheeks were flushed with excitement. Nathan could swear if he listened hard enough, he could still hear James' laughter from that day.

He sighed and put the picture gently in his pocket. He warily rubbed the bridge of his nose, wanting to see Haley again, but knowing that she needed to be with Lucas right now. He was sure she had questions about his being here, and he was fairly certain that he wouldn't be the one she questioned about it. He was praying to God that she didn't ask him to leave again, because he really didn't think he could. He didn't want her to waste her strength fighting him when she should be using it to get well.

Finally, Lucas walked out of Haley's room. "Where did Peyton go?" he asked, looking around.

"Press conference," Nathan told him. "The world needs to know that Haley James Scott finally woke up," he said guardedly. He wasn't ready for the world to know yet. He wanted to keep her to himself for a while longer.

Lucas nodded. "Listen," he said, "I'm going to go make some calls. I'd like to call mom and a few other people to let them know Haley's awake."

"OK," Nathan told him, heading for the door to Haley's room.

"Nate?"

Nathan turned around. "Yeah?"

Lucas sighed. "She really needs you. Only she doesn't know it," he told his younger brother. "Don't blow it."

Nathan laughed. "I'll try not to," he promised, thanking God that Haley had Lucas to watch out for her. He walked back into her room. "Hey," he said softly.

She lifted her eyes to his. "Hi," she said, her voice still hoarse.

He returned to the seat by her side. "How are you feeling?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm tired," she told him. There was a pause. "You look tired, too. How long have you been here?"

"I flew in from New York when I heard what happened," he said. "I've been here since then."

She slowly nodded. "Thanks," she said, unsure of what else to say.

He just smiled at her and she felt her heart melt. She'd seen him on television so many times playing basketball, and she'd even watched him smile into the camera after a win, but it was nothing compared to the smile he was giving her right now.

She nervously cleared her throat. Suddenly, she remembered the item she'd pulled from her purse and looked down. Nathan saw her start to panic as she looked down and then started to run her hands over the bed to see if she could feel it. He reached into his pocket and pulled the picture out. "It's right here," he said softly, holding it out to her.

She sighed in relief. "Thanks," she said huskily, taking it from him. She looked down at the photograph, running her fingers over it, as if trying to absorb the memory.

Nathan had wanted her to wake up so badly, felt like he'd had so much to say to her, but now that she was awake, he couldn't seem to find the words. He cleared his throat and motioned to the picture. "I remember that day," he said.

Her eyes flew to his. "You do?" she asked, astounded.

"Every second of it," he assured her.

She nodded. "Me, too," she told him.

"How's my patient?" the nurse asked, walking into the room.

"She's looking good, Rosie," Nathan answered.

Haley was surprised that Nathan was on a first name basis with her nurse. Clearly he'd been not only sitting by her side, but paying attention to what was going on and monitoring her care as well.

"OK, Nathan," the nurse said. "I need to check some of Haley's stitches, and I think it might be more comfortable for her if you weren't here."

Nathan winked at the nurse. "Sure thing, Rosie," he said, grinning at her. He stood up and took Haley's hand, then leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead. "I'll be right outside," he promised her, giving her hand a light squeeze. Then he let go and was gone.

_Unbelievable, _she thought. _He's already charmed my nurse._

"So, who's the hottie?" Rosie asked, confirming her thought.

Haley sighed. "He's a friend," she told her nurse.

"_Some_ friend. He hasn't left your side since he got here," she informed Haley, lifting up the hem of her nightgown and pulling back the bandages on Haley's belly.

Haley winced at the pain. "Funny he wasn't here when I woke up," she said resentfully, not sure exactly where that had come from. She had no right to be angry with Nathan about not being here when she'd awoken. They hadn't seen each other in years.

The nurse leaned in towards Haley as if she were about to impart a key piece of information. "The night he got here, I heard him yelling at Peyton by the beverage machine. And ever since he got past _her_, he hasn't left this hospital once. In fact, that was the first time he'd left your side. Thank God. The boy was starting to smell rank!"

Haley wrinkled her nose; she knew that smell, had smelled it several times after high school basketball games.

"We had to practically force him to leave you to take a shower," she said teasingly. "I'm surprised the smell didn't wake you up."

Haley laughed weakly, mindful of the pain on her stomach while the nurse was dabbing at a cut with a damp cloth, checking the stitches. Finally she put some antiseptic on it and put the bandage back in place. Rose looked around, as if to ensure they were still alone. "Just between you and me," Rosie said in an exaggerated whisper, "I think your _friend_ is sweet on you."

Haley sighed. "Oh, Rosie. If you only knew. That ship has…sailed," she said sorrowfully.

Rosie lifted an eyebrow at Haley and crossed her arms knowingly. "If you ask me, it's about to return to shore," she said before leaving the room.

Haley swallowed past the lump in her throat, knowing that even if Rosie was right, and the ship _was_ returning to shore, she wouldn't be getting on board again.


End file.
